Free ½ day consultation to formulate a bespoke package of training for your school or a cluster of schools.

An opportunity to engage in Research and Development activities of the alliance linked to National priorities including Maths Hub NW 3 events and projects.

To be kept abreast of all current initiativesand educational updates via the Teaching Schools mailing list and access to all areas via the St Helens Teaching Schools Website.

Schools Direct Student attached to your school*

In addition, all members will receive a FREE place at the annual alliance Leadership conference and Head Teacher termly briefings.

If you would like to find out more about the work of the alliance or becoming a member please don’t hesitate in contacting: Lisa Bradshaw (Director of the TSA and NW Maths Hub 3) lisa.bradshaw@three-saints.org.uk or Sarah Makin (TSA Administrator) sarah.makin@three-saints.org.uk alternatively call: 01744 678010/01744 678190 or 07803202177 (Sarah) 07803202176 (Lisa).

Reciprocal Reading is an effective and proven approach to developing reading and comprehension. It is particularly effective with children who can decode but do not fully understand what they read. The reciprocal reading approach and strategies are also very helpful for shared reading and, particularly, guided reading.

Reciprocal Reading was developed in New Zealand in the 1980s. It can also be used as an intervention.

Reciprocal Reading will help children who:

Can read but struggle to understand

Can’t explain their understanding to others

Read very slowly because they are focusing on accurate decoding so never get the flow of the text nor grasp its meaning

Read too fast and don’t pay attention to what they are reading

Only read for plot events not the details within the writing

Lack confidence when reading new or unfamiliar texts

Have a limited reading repertoire – who read only very undemanding texts or only texts by the same author for example

Have impaired understanding through limited understanding of vocabulary

Read text avidly but never question the meaning of words or what they have just read

Find it difficult to cope with specialist texts from different curriculum areas

The Session is aimed at: Y2 -Y6 teachers and is perfect for Teaching Assistants. It is also ideal for Literacy Subject leaders.

This training costs £70 this includes: Tea/coffee/biscuits and all materials.

Schools that have signed the alliance partnership agreement will receive 25% off the training.

If you are not a member and are interested in finding out more then please contact: Sarah Makin (TSA administrator) or Lisa Bradshaw (Director of the St Helens TSA and National Maths Hub NW3).

If you wish to book on any of the following sessions please email: Sarah Makin (Senior Administrator): sarah.makin@sthelens.org.uk or call: 01744 678010/01744 678190/07803202177.

NW Maths Hub 3 is offering the following Maths CPD opportunities this term:

Mastery and the expectations for schools- Head teacher briefing. This aims to outline what Mastery in Mathematics is all about and how teachers/school leaders can provide evidence of providing a Mastery curriculum– Thursday 21st January, 9-12 noon, Venue: TBC. This is FREE of Charge to all alliance members and £70 to non-alliance members.

Challenge for higher attaining pupils in Lower Key Stage 2. This course will look at how to extend children’s knowledge and look at when it’s appropriate to move to the next year group. We will look at the key questions to enable learners to demonstrate their depth of knowledge and how tasks can be changed through questioning to support able learners. The course is aimed at Y3-4 teachers and support staff-Thursday 28th January 2016, 9.00-3.00pm, Venue: Nutgrove Primary School, Govett Road, St Helens, WA9 5NH.

Challenge for higher attaining pupils in Key Stage 1. The course is aimed at Year 1-2 teachers and support staff. Thursday 25th February 2016, 9.00-3.00pm, Venue: Nutgrove Primary School.

Challenge for higher attaining pupils in Upper Key Stage 2. The course is aimed at Year 5 and 6 teachers and support staff. Friday 26th February 2016, 9.00-3.00pm, Venue: Nutgrove Primary School.

The focus for spring term 2 is moderation and standardisation linked to Mastery. These are year group based sessions and will include the opportunity for teachers to share and develop their Assessment of Mastery and develop further ideas for the Teaching of Mastery- please see attached schedule for further details.

There will also be an opportunity for quality assurance of Maths practice via NW Maths Hub 3 key leads as they share their experiences from current national practice and policy.

Places are limited and will be given on a first come, first serve basis. For more information about the FULL maths package please see the information attached; including the successful Maths Subject Leader Network.

A full days course costs- £150, this includes: refreshments (including light lunch) and all course materials.

½ day training costs- £70, this includes: tea/coffee/biscuits and all course materials.

Alliance members receive 25% of all training opportunities.

Maths SL network meetings and Head Teacher briefings are Free of Charge to all alliance members.

All sessions are led by Tara Loughran, Tara has extensive experience in schools for leading improvement and change in mathematics. She has provided high quality training for the St Helens TSA since becoming at teaching school in 2013; she has inspired lots of teachers and support staff to take her ideas back to the classroom with significant impact. Tara now represents NW Maths Hub 3 across the North West and sits on the Executive board.

KS1- Teaching Grammar in Context. Demands of new tests requires pupils to apply knowledge in a context. Posing a question and allowing the children to investigate through song lyrics. This is aimed at KS1 teachers and support staff. Friday 15th January 2016, 9.30am-12.30pm, Venue: Broad Oak Primary School.

KS2- Teaching Grammar in Context. This is aimed at all KS2 teachers and support staff. Friday 15th January 2016, 1.00pm-3.30pm, Venue: Broad Oak Primary school.

Head teacher briefing- An update on how schools will need to prepare for the 2016-17 KS1/2 English tests- what does the future hold? Friday 26th February 2016, 1.00pm-3.30pm, Venue: The World of Glass, St Helens. This event is FREE of Charge to all alliance members and £70 to non-alliance members.

English Subject Leaders network meeting- Day 2

The focus will be: Moderation- reading and writing, Including: using new performance descriptors and STA descriptors alongside school assessment resources. Ensuring consistency for all reported data. English updates and current thinking and a presentation from Lego innovation. Friday 26th February 2016, 9:00 – 12:00pm, Venue: TBC.

The focus for spring term 2 is:

Teaching children test technique through high quality texts–

These sessions will assist children in becoming ‘test ready’ (a focus on the new reading tests). Teachers will have the chance to unpick the appendix and choose appropriate high quality text to prepare children effectively for the appropriate year group expectations in terms of GPS/Reading. These are year group based.

Writing Assessment without levels- A framework of progression- documents to support teacher assessment of writing.

Teachers will receive and have the chance to develop:

Exemplar materials to include: fiction/non-fiction/range of genres including specific grammar to be taught across each text type

Progression tracking documents to support teachers in making a judgement against ARE and identify next steps/gaps in learning.

These are year group based sessions.

For the full English programme; including English SL network please see attachment.

Places are limited and will be given on a first come, first serve basis.

½ day training costs- £70, this includes: tea/coffee/biscuits and all course materials.

Alliance members receive 25% of all training opportunities.

English SL network meetings and Head Teacher briefings are Free of Charge to all alliance members.

All sessions are led by Maddy Barnes, Maddy is an Assistant Headteacher . She is on the DfE Teacher Panel for Test Development. Maddy has provided high quality training on behalf of the St Helens TSA since April 2013. She is an experienced KS2 Reading, GPS and Level 6 marker. She regularly works for the DFE on the teacher panel for test development and has been a lead for future assessments there.

Maddy is an established author and series editor at Rising Stars (Skills Builders, GPS Practice Papers, NPE and Achieve) and provides insight training sessions for schools. She is a learning consultant and author for the BBC (written resource pack for Chris Evans 500 words competition, co-written scripts for online resource videos and material for GPS game shows). She is passionate about using real texts, including high quality picture books, to encourage all pupils to make progress.

If you wish to book on any of the following sessions please email/call Sarah Makin TSA Senior administrator: Sarah Makin (Senior Administrator TSA): sarah.makin@three-saints.org.uk or telephone: 07803 202177.

Assistant Head/Deputy Head Teacher Network meeting: Thursday 7th January 2016 (1.00pm – 4.00pm), The World of Glass, Chalon Way East, St Helens, WA10 1BX. The focus of the briefing is: Effective Leadership in a climate of change- Yvonne Gandy and Jill Baker (NCTL), English update: Preparing for KS1 and 2 National Tests and implications for schools (Maddy Barnes) and to provide an opportunity to ask questions/network/general leadership update. This is Free of Charge to all alliance members and £70 to non-alliance members. This includes: tea/coffee/biscuits and all course materials.

Head Teacher events:

· An update on how schools will need to prepare for the 2016-17 KS1/2 English tests- what does the future hold?- Friday 26th February 2016, 1.00pm-3.30pm at The World of Glass, St Helens.

· Mathematics Teaching for Mastery- What is Mastery? How do you achieve it?- Ensuring consistency across schools- Thursday 21st January 2016, 9-12 at Venue TBC.

These sessions are FREE of Charge to all alliance members and £70 to non-alliance members. This includes: tea/coffee/biscuits and all course materials.

Please find attached The St Helens Teaching Schools Governors Training Programme this is being delivered in association with the RMA Governor support service (please see information attached).

All training for this year has been arranged in response to the feedback received during Head Teacher audits and training feedback. An overwhelming amount of leaders requested specific Governors training sessions. The following sessions will run this term:

Knowing Your School through Data. A session which will enable governors to: appreciate the range of data in schools and academies, including RAISE online and the Fischer Family Trust Governors’ Dashboard. Understand how pupil data can be used to support school improvement. Ask the right questions to challenge their school. Tuesday 12th January 2016 – 6-8.30pm at Rainford High School, Higher Lane, Rainford, WA11 8NY.

Governing Board Self-Evaluation and the Governor Mark. The session provides an overview of effective governing board self-evaluation and why it is important. It focuses on the Governor Mark and how governing boards can prepare themselves for making an application. The facilitator is an experienced Governor Mark assessor and a member of the GLM Board which oversees the Governor Mark. Tuesday 9th February 2016: 6-8.30pm at Rainford High School, Higher Lane, Rainford, WA11 8NY.

Knowing your school: the Governors’ Role in Monitoring. A session that explores what monitoring and bringing challenge really mean, including consideration of the role and value of governor visits, the part played by head teachers’ reports and the role of effective questioning. Thursday 17th March 2016: 6-8.30pm at Rainford High School, Higher Lane, Rainford, WA11 8NY. Please pass on to the relevant Governors as you see fit.

The St Helens TSA is offering the following Science CPD opportunities this term:

In response to the excellent feedback received last year, Di Stead led a network of teachers and Science subject leaders in writing a progressional scheme; including resources in line with the new National Curriculum. This year we are offering the Science Subject leaders network, subject knowledge enhancement sessions and ideas/activities on how to ‘practically’ deliver these sessions.

All sessions are suitable for teachers, support staff and subject leaders from all phases.

All attendees of the Science Subject Leaders network will receive the scheme of work and associated resources created in 2014-15.

· Primary Science Subject Knowledge Enhancement programme- Are you worried that your own scientific knowledge may not enable you to get tricky ideas across to the children in your class?

Take some time to think about what you know and understand as well as finding out how to put a bit of sparkle back into your science teaching. The main purpose of these sessions is to enhance your science subject knowledge in one specific area. However there will also be opportunities to: